Haphazard road construction destroying unique heritage

Myagdi, July 11: The original heritages have faced destruction with the road expansion works going on in the rural areas in Myagdi district.

The road expansion has become widespread since 2065 BS. Roads are being constructed in unplanned manner without carrying out the survey by engineers. Dozers and excavators are being used to construct the roads without considering the environmental consequences.

Haphazard road construction has also led to destruction of the historical heritages like the ancient resting shelters, chautaris (resting places for travellers) and ponds in many rural areas of the district. Yet many more such heritages are at risk due to this.

Bil Bahadur Bishwakarma, a local of Ruma, Malika rural municipality-2, said that more than 100 such ancient heritages in various places are at risk. "Rampant construction of rural roads especially in the last decade or so has destroyed many of our original heritages. It has also increased the risk of landslide and erosion," complained Bhimnath Prajuli of Galeshwar, Beni municipality-9.

According to him, more than a dozen ancient resting shelters and chautaris along the route from Beni to the border with Mustang district have been destroyed with the construction of motorable road and hotels. This road leads to Muktinath Temple, the world-famous pilgrimage site.